Dandruff is conservatively estimated to be suffered by greater than 50% of the population. This common condition is harmless, but irritating, and is characterized by the shedding of dead skin from the scalp. The usual cause of the condition is seborrheic dermatitis, an itchy, scaly rash on the scalp. The negative effects of dandruff range from aesthetic in the form of white flakes in the hair and/or on the collar and shoulders an afflicted individual's clothing, to physical discomfort in the form of an itching scalp.
Over the years, several actives have been developed for treating dandruff. These anti-dandruff actives include zinc pyrithione, coal tar, and selenium sulfide. While these actives range in efficacy, there is a continued need for more efficacious actives, and/or similarly efficacious but less expensive actives, and/or effective actives that provide greater formulation flexibility. To that end, there is a need for new tools to identify such new anti-dandruff actives.